Invitation Trends That Will Rescue Your Budget

Wedding invitations serve two purposes: to get all the essential information to your guests and to give a preview snippet of the big day. Thankfully, today's invitation trends have some perfect solutions for the modern couple - big impact without the massive price tag!

The One Pager

Budget-conscious brides will love the "one-pager" trend that everyone has been adopting. Ditch the 8-piece, tri-fold invitation in favor of a simple, single-sided, one page invitation. Perfect for hanging on the fridge or pinning to a bulletin board, it has all the information the guest needs without giving too much away. Pretend you're a movie poster or book cover designer- you want to have your guests on the border of interested and informed.

How to Make it Happen: The One Pager

Don't think that you have to use 4-point font to fit everything on the one page. Use the invitation as a "cheat sheet" with all the most important information, and then direct the guests to your wedding website for the rest of the details. That's where your guests should be able to RSVP, see accommodation recommendations, find directions to the venues and read a little about your story. Just don't forget to include the link on the invites!

DIY Ideas

The DIY trend has been making waves in the wedding industry, and invitations are no exception. For those who have no patience for arts and crafts, there are thousands of printable designs online which are easy to customize and print at home. If you don't have a great printer or you are planning a very large wedding, consider researching rates at local print shops. They might be able to get you a deal on your bulk order. Alternately, consider ordering a custom stamp and just investing in interesting paper for the background.

How to Make it Happen: DIY Ideas

More extreme DIY-ers have been taking on invitation designs involving letterpress, embossing, die-cut elements or other interesting techniques. Though the investment price for materials and equipment can be quite steep, if you see yourself using them for future projects (thank you cards, perhaps...) then it could be worth it. Especially when you factor in the great crafting memories with your partner and your other helpers.

Minimalist Desgin

A huge trend this year is interesting typography. And what better shows off typography than minimalist design? Many couples are deciding to focus their attention on the letters and words, rather than distracting images or colors. Sticking to just one color and not using ink for background colors and images can save you significant expenses.

How to Make it Happen: Minimalist Design

There is nothing more classic than black on white. Keep your paper high-quality in white or ivory and let your fonts speak about your urban chic style. This makes it even easier for you to print the invitations at home if you choose to. If you are looking for a font that will stand out, consider downloading a unique alternative to what comes with your computer. You'll find plenty of well-priced or even free fonts online.

Seal & Send Invitations

Wow, were envelopes always so expensive? That's right, you can't just slap a stamp on the invitation and send it out. Or can you? A growing trend is the fold, seal and send invitation — no envelope needed. This super long invitation has everything your guests need, without the added paper trash and expense. You'll love the simplicity (and low paper-cut risk) of this invitations style. All you need is to write the addresses on the folded and sealed envelopes and you're set!

How to Make it Happen: Seal & Send Invitations

If you don't like the look of the super long invitation, consider this diamond fold style. Finish off the beautiful design in the back with a custom stamp or wax seal and your guests will be in awe of your great taste!

In Person Delivery

As much as we all wish otherwise, postage never goes on sale or comes with a bulk discount. There is, however, a way to save on this expense — simply use fewer stamps! You'll be surprised at the percentage of your guest list which you see in person on a weekly or perhaps monthly basis. Take this opportunity to present them with your invitation the old-fashioned way: by hand delivery. Though getting something in the mail other than bills is always pleasant, being given an invitation personally can really illustrate your genuine desire to have this guest present on one of the most important days in your life.